[88502] Lionel Messi and Ramin Rezaeian star in the 2026 World Cup group stage team of the tournament

Summary of the first round of the 2026 World Cup: Messi and Rezaeian at the top

The first round of the 2026 World Cup group stage has concluded, and statistical data highlights prominent names that have gained international recognition. According to a report by the Iranian sports channel ورزش سه, which is identified with professional and comprehensive sports coverage, Lionel Messi was chosen as the player of the round after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria and receiving a perfect score of 10 according to 'WhoScored' data.

In the same report, it was noted that Iranian defender Ramin Rezaeian displayed high capability and earned a score of 8.37, which secured him a spot in the group stage team of the tournament at the right-back position. According to the Iranian sports channel, this is a significant achievement based on dry data from leading data analysis websites.

At the same time, the Esteghlal fan channel (identified with the Iranian team's fan base and emphasizing national pride) reported that FIFA chose Rezaeian as the "discovery of the round." According to the fan channel, the list of outstanding players also includes Vozinha (best goalkeeper), as well as Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Harry Kane in the attack.

On the other hand, the fan channel also noted the list of disappointments of the first round, including prominent names such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro, who were criticized for their performance in the opening matches.